Democrats Warn of Congressional Losses Without Quick Action to Fix Economy

[Purveyor]

March 31 (Bloomberg) -- Congressional Democrats are warning the Obama administration that some of the party’s lawmakers may join the growing ranks of the nation’s unemployed unless the economy shows signs of improvement by September.

Democrats say a recovery may not begin until 2010 at the earliest, and initial gains may be too weak to register with voters, since it can take up to a year for any upswing to trickle through the economy.

For the Democrats, who control the White House and Congress, that delay may create a backlash in next year’s midterm elections, when 435 House districts are on the ballot, along with one-third of the Senate’s 100 seats.

“By the fall, we have to see an uptick,” said Representative Bart Stupak, 57, a Michigan Democrat.

That isn’t likely in Stupak’s state, where February’s unemployment rate of 12 percent was the highest in the nation. In addition, President Barack Obama yesterday gave deadlines to two of Michigan’s largest employers, Detroit-based General Motors Corp., the biggest U.S. automaker, and Auburn Hills- based Chrysler LLC, the No. 3 car company, to “fundamentally restructure” or lose government aid that has kept them alive. GM and Chrysler lost a combined $39 billion in 2008.

Michigan Seats

While Stupak’s seat is considered safe, two of Michigan’s first-term Democratic incumbents -- Representatives Gary Peters and Mark Schauer -- already face competitive races next fall, according to the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, a Washington-based publication.

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BLOOMBERG: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=axR1pU6J8Lns&refer=home

[Thrill]

1. Well do your fucking job and come up with some solutions

Sometimes Democrats need to shut up.

[msongs]

2. stupid dems congresspersons who vote like republican might as well be republicans? nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. This is why all of the Republicans in the House voted against the Stimulus

They wagered that the economy will not improve enough by next November.

[high density]

4. Then pass another stimulus. Let's do $1 trillion this time

Oh that's right, you could barely stomach about $700 billion. Then you want to cut everything from the budget.

:eyes:

[CakeGrrl]

5. Then they either need to help him put his agenda through

or come up with viable alternatives if they don't like what the administration is trying to accomplish.